It’s Not Your Fault
by swimmingcheetah
Summary: Bad title. Jumps from before Ep 1 to just after. ObiWan must travel through a friends’ mind to save her and finds the conflict inside every Jedi. Gets better in later chapters. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone except Jade.

Summary: Bad title. Jumps from before Ep 1 to just after. Obi-Wan must travel through a friends' mind to save her.

It's Not Your Fault

Prologue

"Do we have t put _all_ these lessons into today, Master?" Asked Obi-Wan, his eyes skimming the long list his Master had put on the datapad.

"Yes, we do. You need to get ready for everything," said Qui Gon as he packed their extra tunics into a case (a fact that Obi-Wan was totally oblivious to).

"Really? 'Cause even with the greatest Jedi Knight ever as my Master, I'm learning slower than a- what?" he asked suddenly when he heard his Master laugh.

"The 'Greatest Jedi Knight ever' will not always be your Master." said Qui Gon as Master Yoda, walking by, stopped by their door.

"Master Qui Gon, your ship is ready, get that young Padawan of yours prepared, you should."

"I'll try, Master Yoda, thank you." He said to the receding form of the little green Jedi Master.

"We're leaving?" asked Obi-Wan, looking up, confused, from the datapad.

"Yes, Obi, we're leaving," said Qui Gon like he was talking to a young child, and as he continued, he threw a bag at his charge. "Come on – oh, and don't forget the datapad you hid beneath the pillow."

"Yes, Master, but, ya'know," his eyes gleamed mischievously, "we could _accidentally_ take the wrong data-"

"OBI-WAN!" yelled Qui Gon, feigning anger as he walked out the door.

"All-right! I'm coming." He walked out the door and locked it as a little girl, about seven standard years old (eight years younger than himself), ran up to him.

"Obi! I know you gotta go but look what I found in the Fountain Room!" she lifted a small box, and hesitated. "Be careful, though, he's poisonous."

She lifted the lid and, before it ran beneath the fern leaves, Obi-Wan had a glimpse of a light blue snake with two webbed feet near it's black-tattooed head.

"He's very shy an' I don't know what kind of food he likes so I have to check out the Archives." She smiled and closed the lid. "Do you know when you'll be back?"

"Absolutely no idea. Hey, how 'bout, if I go to a wet area, I'll bring you some plans for him to try, 'kay?"

"Yeah! Thanks Obi."

"No problem, squirt."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry, Jade," he corrected as he started to turn to the near-empty hallway.

"Thank you!" she called, smiling, and turned towards the archives.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or its contents, just Jade Sulae.

Summary: Bad title. Jumps from before Ep 1 to just after. Obi-Wan must travel through a friends' mind to save her, and realizes something about the Jedi he'd never thought about.

**It's Not Your Fault**

Chapter 1

Flashbacks of a battle:

The black and red tattooed figure's boot suddenly coming to his face…

Seeing the little form of Padawan Sulae, the stowaway, run to help Qui Gon…

Watching as Jade dodged too slow and caught the blood red blade in her left shoulder…

Seeing all the three laser walls between himself and Jade and the one between her and the fight…

His master falling to the ground as he and Jade engaged the Sith in battle…

Jade crumpling to the floor from a slash to her abdomen as a green blade sent the two halves of the creature down the well…

The soft fire in Obi-Wan Kenobi's eyes had been extinguished. There were but a few smoldering embers that had survived thus far, but for how much longer?

He gazed into the flames engulfing his Master's body, Obi-Wan's eyes lost focus as he relived the battle.

'You were wrong; you'll always be my Master.' He told his Master through their bond, his Master's presence was still there but it was weak and distant, to far to contact…

Tears welled up in his eyes as he remembered some of the great moments they had had together, like their first playful duel (Obi-Wan had lost miserably), when they first met Jade as a little girl in the middle of an empty hallway, cradling a large, fuzzy Colan beetle in her little hands…

"What will happen to me now?"

Obi-Wan came back to the 'now' as he looked towards his new apprentice, young Anakin Skywalker.

'Such a strange boy, locking all his humor deep down inside.'

"The council has granted me permission to train you, you will become a Jedi, I promise," he said aloud.

But how did he know he would be able to keep that promise? Now that there was a known Sith roaming the galaxy, he, or she, would be looking for an apprentice, not a single Jedi was safe now.

Lost in thought for the rest of the ceremony, Obi-Wan barley noticed when a familiar presence entered the patio: Jade Sulae had apparently been released from the hospital ward, though she most likely forced the healers to let her out but he would worry about that later.

"Obi-Wan, I'm so sorry. I should have run faster but the walls closed and-"

"It's ok, Jade, really. Qui Gon was tired already and you were hurt."

"Yes, oh wise Master Kenobi," She said grinning slightly at seeing the semblance of a smile touch his eyes.

"Come on, let's walk through the gardens," she said as she stumbled over thin air, Obi-Wan catching her hand.

"Jade, you need to go back to the healers, I don't even see how you got out here on your own," he commented, looking into those deep gray-green eyes that had once been so comforting but were now full of pain.

"'The Force is a powerful ally,' he he, I'm fine really." She straightened, barely hiding a wince. "The healers here don't know anything about lightsaber wounds so I'm doing everything myself."

"Ok, we'll stay out for a while; maybe I'll help you a little."

"Thanks Obi, but I think I'll manage," she said, steadying herself then collapsing in a heap of robes.

This will get more exciting, so don't give up on me! Reviews might speed me up (I have up to chapter 6 on paper but typing isn't my strength). This is my first story so go easy.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own Jade (who, by the way, is a blue Twi'lek) but nothing else.

A/N: 

**It's Not Your Fault**

Chapter 2

"What happened?" Mace Windu asked immediately after Obi-Wan entered with the unconscious Jade in his arms.

"I don't know, she just… went limp…" Obi-Wan was not ready for this, 'I just lost Qui Gon, don't make me go through this too.'

"Allowed to leave the healing ward, Padawan Sulae was not, dangerously wounded, she still is," Yoda looked from Jade to Obi-Wan. "Need _you_, she does."

"WHAT? Why _me_?"

"Listen to no one else, she will, Obi-Wan. Bring her back, you must."

"What? Bring her b- why is th- how?"

"You must travel along the Force-bond between you two and, once you are inside her mind, you must- must- make her believe that she still has work to do in this lifetime. Yoda and yourself are the only people Jade trusts with others' lives."

"Then why me? Why not Master Yoda?"

"Listen only to you, she will, Obi-Wan." Yoda looked sadder than Obi-Wan had ever seen him. "Herself she believes to be the cause of Master Qui Gon's death. She needs much encouragement…" as Yoda broke eye-contact with Obi-Wan he glanced towards Mace then rested his gaze on the limp form of Jade.

Well, what's all this about going into her mind part?" Obi-Wan asked glancing at Jade. "I'm not sure I want to venture through her head, Masters, it's likely to be dangerous." Having been in brief contact with Jade's raw mind twice before (their bond being much stronger than was natural for Padawans), Obi-Wan was not anxious to go back, especially since his last 'trip.' One dream she had had was real enough that Obi-Wan got a taste of it, a scary taste. The floor was a river of lava unprotected above it, on a pier, two lightsabers were locked in a deadly dance, both blue. Then he saw another, silver, racing towards the jetty when the molten rock suddenly engulfed the center section of the pier and melted right through it. As the outpost at the end fell to the lava, the blue beams soared out over the river… the silver lightsaber drooped as if all hope was lost and jumped out, into nothingness, towards the dismembered outpost…

"Obi-Wan," Yoda was looking at the confused Jedi with companionate eyes, "If to save Padawan Sulae you wish, now you must work."

"Yes, Masters."

"Lay down, Obi-Wan. While you are helping her, we will keep your body functioning so put all your energy into finding Jade."

"Yes, Master," said Obi-Wan making himself comfortable on the adjacent bed.

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan." Mace said as Obi-Wan's world went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own Jade and her mind…or you could call it my own mind put into words, but nothing else…no, nothing…

A/N: Yeah! Look how fast that was! 'kay, reviews would be much appreciated but no Flames please, oh, and thank you redrose19 for putting this on your favs! Now I'm probably going to fall behind for weeks again so wish me luck!

**It's Not Your Fault**

Chapter 3

She sat silently in the most deserted corner of her mind, looking…looking for some ray of hope…nothing…there never was any…but, what was that? A familiar presence…three familiar presences…all Jedi…they were afraid…_not of me, of course, never for me, just for the hundreds of beings I'm supposed to save…_

Slowly she bowed her head, letting the tears roll down her cheeks as she pulled her knees into a ball

The old wooden door squeaked as the cloaked silhouette entered the near-empty room.

"What do you want?" the young woman in the corner asked as the figure looked around the room and it's few components before resting his gaze on her, horrified at what was standing before him and gaping at the truth…

_If I was going to commit suicide, were would I go?_ Obi-Wan though just before seeing the sign. _That looks promising: 'Danger! Go no further! Veer right now.' That's about as much of a clue as I'm gonna get._

The fortress was huge… and dark… and spooky. He only saw one lit window in the entire place and it looked faint like a single candle. As he approached, the sky darkened considerably and from his recent experiences Obi-Wan could tell that the dark side was getting ever stronger and doubtful thoughts started running through his head.

_Why am I doing this? What if the dark side gets too strong and I fall from the light? And if that happens we'll never get Jade back._

The long walk granted him time to think of all the great things he, Jade and Qui Gon had had done at the Temple…

As he neared the fort, Obi-Wan noticed that torture devices were strewn around on the ground. Many were covered in spider webs and rust but a few of the more subtle ones were well greased and, apparently, well used.

_That would be she can't heal herself on the outside, she's dieing inwardly…_

The doors to the entrance hall were huge; the metal-work was elegant and the locks were undetectable…even to a Jedi.

_Blaster bolts!_ thought Obi-Wan after his umpteenth slash at the seemingly wooden doors.

_How did she manage to- oh, right, it's her mind so everything goes by her rules. Dang._

There were no windows in reach and no cellar doors in sight.

_She really thought this out so my best hope is that I don't have the slightest chance._

Obi-Wan extinguished his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt, feeling defeated, to lean up against the solid-wood doors…

…only to fall through them into darkness.

A/N: sorry for the cliffie…


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Star Wars, but we all know I don't, so all I'm allowed to say is 'I own Jade.'

A/N: Aaaahh! I'm so sorry for the wait, and I hope the two or three people reading this don't come and kill me, but school caught up with me and I'm drowning in homework.

**It's not Your Fault**

Chapter 4

_What the heck was that?_

Obi-Wan was laying on the ground, inside the fortress, twenty feet below the doors.

_Well that was exciting. Now_, he got up, rubbing his left shoulder, _all I have to do is find Jade, oh, yeah, this is gonna be easy…_

He'd been walking around for almost half an hour and Obi-Wan had no idea if he was any closer to finding Jade or not. He had, however, found what in this crazy world he could control: his outfit. If he wanted a cloak, all he had to do was picture himself in a cloak and it would appear on his shoulders. At present, Obi-Wan was wearing the traditional Jedi garb but with a black cape instead of brown.

All the time he was searching, he kept an eye out for someone- anyone- but the only living things he saw were animals. He'd seen numerous little creatures (including a baby Nexu in the process of raiding a pantry) and a few huge things he had never seen or heard of in his studies.

_Well, she has always had a way with animals…_

After hours of searching, checking rooms and hiding from dangerous creatures, Obi-Wan finally found a door (the door hopefully) that had been opened recently (the dust on the floor had been pushed back to reveal a quarter-circle slab of permacrete).

Well, here goes…

Obi-Wan pushed on the door and…

…it squeaked loudly in protest, giving anyone inside a clear warning.

He was glad the hood on his cloak was up so the figure sitting on the chest across the room could not see his face, even if his body language gave it all away. The girl was almost dangerously thin with gangly black hair, ratty strands of clothing hanging off her and tattoos all over her body vaguely reminding him of the Sith he had just diced.

As Obi-Wan looked around the room, the figure lifted her deep red eyes and straightened, asking in a commanding voice:

"What do you want, human?"

His eyes snapped back to her just in time to see her pull out a lightsaber, ignite a black beam of light and lunge.

"Master Windu?" asked a shaky voice belonging to a little human padawan, just taken into apprenticeship by the Master.

"Master?" she asked a little louder.

"Padawan, what are you doing in here?" asked the brisk voice of Healer Bantra, come from Corescant to tend to the wounded Naboo people and Jade and Obi-Wan.

"I- I just-"

"Wanted to make sure your Master was all right?" she asked, gentler.

"Y-Yes, and to say that Masters Ki-Adi Mundi and Plo Koon want to talk to him."

reviews are nice


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, want proof? I'm broke.

A/N: I'm so bad at updating, why don't you all just burn me alive… actually, no, never mind, I don't want to die.

**It's Not Your Fault**

Chapter 5

"Tell them he's busy right now but if it's desperate, they can risk their own necks to snap him out of it… or they could come in and talk to me till he wakes," said healer Bantra as an afterthought.

"Yes, Master," replied D'ani, still looking at her Master curiously.

"Hurry now, go get them, and don't worry, your Master is fine."

"Aaaahh!" Obi-Wan hadn't jumped quite fast enough and the blade had clipped his calf, making his entire leg go numb.

"What are you doing!" he yelled as he propped himself against the wall to the left of the door.

"Have you never battled a Sith before, Kenobi?" asked the girl. Now that she was closer, Obi-Wan could tell that her eyes were gray, as was her skin, she was covered in tattoos that Jade didn't have and her face was distorted by years of hatred.

"Where is Jade?" asked Obi-Wan in as forceful a voice as he could muster, all the while wondering how she knew his name.

"Jade? Oh, her, I think she is trying to kill herself, don't know why, don't care either, why do you?" She was pacing before him now, watching a blue blade waver in between them, neither one of them remembered him pulling it out.

"Because I-"

"You what?" She was sneering at him now. "You love her? You need her to continue on with life in that pathetic universe you live in? Well guess what, Kenobi," she wasn't smiling anymore and her eyes were beginning to water, "you can't have everything you want. And while you're here, you can't have anything you want. Up to today, you never knew how it felt to loose someone you love; now you will loose everything."

"I don't lo-" but she had closed her eyes and Obi-Wan, leaning against the wall, felt his eyes widen in shock as his mind filled with his worst memories. In the back of his mind there was a voice telling him to hang on because she couldn't hurt him, he wasn't so sure.

He saw Qui-Gon laying in the hospital ward after receiving a deadly virus, he saw himself breaking up with Siri Tachi… again, and he saw the black-and-red tattooed figure step over his Master's body towards an exhausted girl, Jade…

"NO!" he shouted suddenly, forcing this intruder out his mind so hard she physically took a few steps back.

"Your persistence intrigues me, Obi-Wan," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What… do you… want?" he gasped.

"Didn't I tell you? I want to rule the galaxy, have the power of … everyone, the usual things Sith want."

"So, if you are a . . . Sith . . . why are you in . . ."

"Why am I within Jade? You disappoint me, Obi-Wan, by now you should know that every real Jedi has a darker side, just as every real Sith has a lighter side."

"Well, then what's your name? In all the history pads, whenever a Jedi trades over, they change their name."

"Ah, so you do know something after all. I suppose I could tell you," she twirled her blade, staring hungrily at the helpless Jedi before her. "My name is Gem, for the stones I create," she said menacingly.

And as Gem drew her cursed crystals from her vest, the doors to the right of Obi-Wan slammed open and he felt an invisible shield begin to form around him as the sharp, burning rocks were hurled in his direction…

Please review and I might update a little faster… sorry for the cliffie…


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Figured I might update once and a while, been a while now don't you think? Sorry anyway to the two or three reading this.

Disclaimer: Never have, never will.

It's not your Fault

Chapter 6

D'ani couldn't stand it. Her master had not moved or made a sound in over three hours, neither had Master Yoda. Both of them were just sitting there, eyes closed, focusing on Obi-Wan.

'Why's he so important anyway?' she wondered. 'Shouldn't they be concentrating on the girl?'

Being only nine and a half, she did not fully understand how the universe worked; sure, Obi-Wan was basically a legend to herself and her classmates and Jade was the perfect role-model: funny yet very wise for her age, but this was a little too far out for the padawan to grasp.

The hushed voices on the opposite side of the door, the door to her Masters' room, went quiet. There was a question, an answer and the door was opened by Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"Padawan, you may come in now, your Master is coming to," he said, stepping aside to let her in.

D'ani stood up and walked through the door, bowing slightly as she passed the Master, and continued towards her Master, Yoda and Obi-Wan.

"Master?" she asked cautiously, Mace's eyes were still closed but he was breathing deeper and clenching and unclenching his fists to get the blood moving again.

"Master? Can you-"

"Yes, D'ani, I can hear you," Mace cut in, opening his eyes slowly and glancing around at all of them: Jade and Kenobi lying on opposite beds, Yoda still meditating, Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon and Bantra in a loose huddle near the far wall, and D'ani, little D'ani, standing not two feet away with an I-wasn't-worried-at-all face.

"Master Windu, we are sorry to disturb you but we have heard from a number of security volunteers that a . . . unsettling conversation took place between Viceroy Gunray and some of his associates about some new battle droids being built in another system," started Plo Koon.

"Do we have any information on who they were, where they were and the type of battle droids in production?" asked Mace, immediately alert.

"We know they were Super Battle Droids being made on Tatooine," explained Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"Tatooine, it sounds familiar," mused Master Windu.

"It's where Master Qui Gon and Padawan Kenobi found the Skywalker boy, isn't it?" asked Healer Bantra, receiving a nod of acknowledgement from Plo Koon.

"We do not believe they are in any way related and are doubtful as to weather these associates even exist."

"Super Battle Droids, you said?" asked Mace.

"Yes, the Trade Federation mass-manufactured Battle Droids; these new one are far more expensive but have much better armor and built-in blasters in their wrist joints," continued Ki-Adi, "One of the volunteers said he heard that they were being sold across the surface, making the buyer the tester having almost no money after production."

"Being sold all around? That complicates things. If this is all true, these 'associates' must either have suburb connections or promise generous amounts to the dealers. Either way, from Master Qui-Gon's report, the shop owners usually respond quickly to threats."

"Should we send a Master/Padawan team to check it out?" asked Master Koon, walking across the room to stand near Ki-Adi.

"Not just yet; first we need to –" Mace broke off as Obi-Wan stirred behind him and Master Yoda opened his eyes slowly, finishing up on the Padawan.

"Actually, we could send one of the newer Jedi Knights, Kit Fisto perhaps."

"Alone? Or were you thinking of sending two new ones?" asked Healer Bantra, already sensing were this was going.

There was a pause that was only broken when the little green Master spoke up for the first time.

"Why think you of promoting young Kenobi without myself consulting first, hmm?" Master Yoda got down from his chair and walked to the foot of the bed.

"Wait- what?" D'ani looked up suddenly from examining her fingernails, a look of utter confusion on her face glancing up to her Master. "I thought you were talking about Kit."

Master Yoda chuckled as Ki-Adi-Mundi explained.

"You must look for what we think, not what we say. But yes, about Fisto, he is very quiet but once he gets to know you, you begin to notice how wise and cunning he is. He has fantastic skills with his lightsaber and using words to manipulate beings, a skill that may come in handy on this mission."

"Yes, Kit Fisto, a good choice would he be, but alone?" Yoda glanced almost imperceptibly towards the recovering Obi-Wan.

"Perhaps we could send another new Jedi Knight with him, one who has only had one mission on his own . . ." suggested Ki-Adi.

"Masters, if I may be so bold, have we not skirted the true meaning of the conversation long enough?"

Healer Bantra has a point," said Master Windu, "I believe it is safe to say that we all know and agree on the subject. Padawan Kenobi will be granted the rank of Knight when he and Padawan Sulae return to Courescant, the former will then accompany Master Fisto to Tatooine."

"Decided it is," said Master Yoda, preparing to leave, "Depart now we will, and let Healer Bantra to her work return." They bowed and parted company, D'ani sstill looking very confused, as Obi-Wan stirred and woke.

"Hello, Obi-Wan, how did it go?"

Now, back to the real world . . .


End file.
